Break
by BooBaLooPants
Summary: 1985 film. Evil Ed visits Charley. Ed cries, Charley tells Ed he wouldn't mind being a werewolf. vague/implied slash.


Fright Night, 1985 version. I love this movie, but especially Evil Ed.

Suggested Ed/Charley, but not really. Angst, mild language. Implied dark themes.

**Break**

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As Ed Thompson staggered down the street, clutching a bloody arm and trying to be inconspicuous about it, he remembered that he was a loser.

It wasn't like it really bothered him, but sometimes it was a pain.

"Shit," Literally a pain. He crossed his arm over his chest and tried not to notice all the blood. It probably looked worse than it really was. That was usually the case.

He slid down Charley Brewster's screen door and prayed Charley would answer it. He hardly saw Charley's mother anyway.

Ed only saw his own mom between the bedroom door and the stairway when it was night time. And she'd smile at him and ask how his day had been. Ed always laughed and told her the same thing;

"Oh, you know."

Then she'd go, and Ed waited for a storm to pass.

When dad had finally gone to sleep, Ed's heart stopped hammering and there was that tiny respite before school. A little break.

Ed pulled a hand through his hair and looked up at Charley's window.

"Hey, Brewster? You in there? C'mon!"

It wasn't so bad these days, but maybe that was cos he was used to it.

Sometimes Ed didn't like to go to school, just in case anyone noticed. Then he'd be trapped in the locker room, full of jeering figures, remembering it didn't matter anyway.

School was home away from home, only there they walked about in packs. Alpha wolves, picking out the runts, and laughing like they'd rip his throat out.

Ed couldn't help that he was small, but that's how it was, and he could deal with it, most of the time.

Sometimes it was better when he saw Brewster. Only _sometimes_, though.

It wasn't like he was looking for help. No way. It was just one of those little breaks, cos Charley wasn't a bad guy.

For a while Ed had wondered when it was that he'd started feeling sick, in that happy way, when he saw Charley. But it didn't matter anyway. It was just tough shit that Brewster wasn't like that, or didn't think that way.

Maybe he knew, but was too nice, so he'd never tell Ed to fuck off.

"What're you doing here? Amy's coming round soon,"

Charley was standing in the doorway, looking really pissed. Ed didn't think he could be happier to see him, and he grinned like an idiot.

"Hey _Charles_," he waved.

Charley seemed to see him properly then.

"Shit," he took Ed's arm and pulled him into the house.

"Oh, I missed you too," Ed nearly staggered into him. "Easy boy. I'm very delicate."

"_Right_," Charley shoved him over to the kitchen sink and ran the tap. "Put your arm under that, idiot," he grabbed Ed's arm anyway, holding it under the water.

Ed watched all the red run away from it, like some bloody waterfall. He only flinched at how cold it was.

"Tickles," he said.

"That's enough," said Charley, after a minute. "You look like a panda," he noticed Ed's eye.

"It's okay," Ed smirked at him. "I'm okay, I swear."

"And you're white as a ghost."

Ed laughed. "Is it a good look for me?"

"Not at all," Charley shoved him, more lightly, through the lounge and to the stairway. They were halted half way up by another voice;

"Charley? Are you with Amy?"

"Oh. Um. Yeah. She's here a little early, that's all, mom."

Ed sniggered, "Oh, hello Mrs Brew-"

Charley pressed a hand hard over his mouth. "_Shut up."_

Brewster's room was some small haven, just for a little while.

Ed sat on the floor and let Charley examine his busted lip, his throbbing eye, and then his arm again, as if he might be some expert surgeon or something. Ed didn't mind at all. He liked how careful Charley was. He wasn't very used to it.

"I don't know what the hell happened here, but that's probably gonna scar," Charley diagnosed Ed's arm.

"Oh," Ed pretended to be distraught. "But you think I'll survive, then?"

"Unfortunately,"

"That's good, cos for a second I thought I was gonna die."

"Now wouldn't that be too bad," Charley extended a hand to the desk drawer.

Ed watched as he pulled out a bunch of band aids, and then started wrapping some round Ed's arm, gently. It was still surprising, and made Ed's stomach lurch, no matter how many times Charley did it.

"Alright," Charley said. "Good as new," he blinked at Ed, and smirked a bit. "Well, good as you'll ever be."

"Oh Brewster, you cut me real deep."

"Yeah, I'm a real heartbreaker," Charley smiled just a bit, then his face slipped into something more serious. "so what happened?"

"Nothing," Ed faltered.

Charley rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "I've got all night,"

"No, you've got Amy all night," Ed sneered. "Though I'm still trying to figure out what she sees in you-"

"Hey," Charley tugged Ed's arm, and Ed yelped, more surprised than in any sort of pain.

"Hey _you_," he glared, trying to be angry. "I told you, I'm delicate."

"Enough with the clowning around, Evil," Charley snapped. "What happened?"

"Well...since you're so insistent," Ed laughed again, only it sounded uneven in his ears. The way Charley looked at him, all steely and like he wasn't going to take any bullshit. Ed kind of knew he was beat when he got all serious like that.

Ed pulled his arm out of Charley's grip, and swallowed stupid nerves.

"Actually, I can't remember much of it. Funny, isn't it? I don't remember shit when stuff like that happens."

"It's not funny," said Charley, his lips drawing a thin line.

"No?"

"_No_."

Ed waited for Charley to say something, _anything_ else. But his face was still as a statue.

"Uh. I guess it isn't funny, then," Ed looked at the carpet. It was suddenly way easier to look at, and to talk to. He cleared his throat. "I'm not...I mean...I can remember..." he tailed off, his voice felt like it was disappearing for some reason.

"You okay?" Charley sounded concerned, and that was kind of funny, and made Ed's chest hurt. He ignored it.

"Hey Charley," he said, and picked at the carpet, not wanting to know the other's reaction. "you ever...you ever want to be someone else?" he kept his eyes on the floor, wondering if Charley would laugh.

"Hm. Yeah, of course."

Ed blinked up at him. "yeah?"

"Yeah," Charley nodded. "why? Anyone in particular you'd want to be?"

Ed rolled his eyes, thinking about his words. "I'd be a...a _giant_ guy,"

"'Giant guy'?" Charley looked amused.

"Yeah. Then I could go beat the shit out of them. I'd do that all day, and laugh my fucking head off at every one of them."

"Makes sense," Charley was still watching Ed, but his eyes had lost that hard edge. "I'd want to do that as well."

There was something else there, but Ed wasn't very good at reading people. It was lucky then, that Charley was the person he knew best of all.

"It's okay. I know you think I'm crazy, Brewster."

Something hot was sliding down his cheeks.

He wiped a hand roughly over his face, horrified by himself. "Uh, I don't really know what's come over me..."

He stopped talking; a warmth was folding round his body. Charley's arms were wrapping all around him.

Ed laughed, and it was muffled into Charley's shoulder, and shaking with those stupid tears.

"I think...this is extremely inappropriate..." he said, and found himself sinking further into Charley's arms.

"Probably is a bit," said Charley, and held him tighter.

Charley's whole body was warm, though it wasn't like Ed had expected it to be anything else. He just hadn't expected it to ever be there. And in a few moments, where time could have been hours, minutes or only a couple of seconds, Ed was frozen and couldn't remember being so thankful for anything.

"Oh..." he scrunched his hands into Charley's t-shirt, balled fists not ever wanting to let go. He squeezed his eyes shut, just as tight.

Charley's hand was on his back, moving up and down in slow motions, and Ed remembered his weakness, and oh how much it meant that Charley would care enough to do that...

Charley spoke, in a soft voice; "So who was it?"

"Um," Ed swallowed. He knew Charley wouldn't let it go. Of course he wouldn't.

"Was it-"

"It wasn't him," Ed interrupted, not really wanting to think about it anymore. "It wasn't,"

There was a tiny pause, before Charley said anything else. "Alright,"

As if it really was alright, and that made it better, when really none of it was.

Ed tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a sob. He wanted to die, just for a moment, and he tried to pull away from Charley.

"Shh," Charley hushed, in a firm way.

"I'm not-"

"Shut up, Ed," Charley said quietly. "Just shut up."

He kept Ed still, locked in his arms, like he didn't even have a choice.

Not that Ed minded. It was one of those little breaks, only better.

Much better.

He closed his eyes, and pretended it was all alright.

"Wanna know what I'd be?" said Charley, after a while. His voice was so close, and Ed could feel his breath, as warm as everything else about him.

"Huh?"

"If I could be anyone else,"

"Oh," Ed sniffed against his shoulder, smiling a bit. "What'd you be, Brewster? Enlighten me, please."

"Something cool. Like a...a werewolf or something."

"What?" Ed laughed, far more easily this time.

He moved back, and Charley's grip on him slowly fell away. Ed tried to gage his expression. "A werewolf, Brewster? Seriously?"

Charley shrugged. "Bit more inventive than a 'giant guy', don't you think?"

"Hah," Ed wiped his eyes, taking more time than he thought he needed to compose himself. "I concede it's more inventive, but you're gonna have loads of fleas. More than normal, I mean. And who knows what Amy will think-"

"Well, I'd have to keep it a secret from Amy, probably."

"Really?" Ed was surprised. "Wouldn't you tell me?"

"Mm, yeah of course. You'd think it was cool, right?"

"Oh, definitely," Ed nodded at once.

Charlie smiled at him. "I think that's why we're friends."

Ed smiled back, feeling weirdly coy about it.

He could still feel Charley's hands on his shoulders, even though they didn't need to be there anymore. Then he noticed Charley's mouth, like it was the only thing in the world. He must've looked like an idiot, but it couldn't be helped. Fuck, Charley had already seen him cry anyway...

The doorbell rang, and Ed jumped with the sound.

Charley looked at the clock; "that's Amy,"

"And that's my cue to up and leave and make some stupid comment behind your back."

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Charley said. "_Evil_," He kept a hand on Ed's shoulder, and his eyes flashed; "you gonna be okay?"

Ed nodded dumbly. A smirk tugged at the edges of his mouth. "Best doctor I ever had. Maybe you should consider it a career option. Brewster MD?"

Charley pushed him out the room. "I don't trust myself with a paper cut."

"And what am I? Your demented guinea pig?"

"Definitely demented," Charley opened the front door, where Amy was waiting. She smiled at him, and then gave Ed a curious look.

"Oh hello, lovely Amy!" Ed grinned at her. "I'm so excited for the news ol' Brewster's got to tell you tonight,"

"News?" Amy was apprehensive.

"Oh yes. About his...hairy new condition."

Charley rolled his eyes and shoved Ed out the house. "see you tomorrow, Evil,"

He held Ed's arm longer than he needed to, and Ed was compelled to look at him. His sneer fell back into a smile.

"See you tomorrow, Brewster."

If he thought about it too long, he would have wanted to stay. If he looked at Charley any longer he definitely would have.

Instead he turned away and walked down the driveway, forgetting all of it.

"Hairy?" Amy said, in an alarmed voice. Then the door clipped shut and the light of the Brewster house died away.

Ed laughed, and made a howling noise at the black sky. Then he walked home, where he'd wait for his next break.

-END-


End file.
